Todd Olson of St. Cloud stopped at North Village Ashland Mart, 1220 – 32nd Ave. N. in St. Cloud, on Feb. 8 to purchase Northstar Cash tickets. “I normally buy two tickets, but bought three because I had $3 in my pocket,” said Olson.

Olson watched the Lottery drawing that night and jotted down the winning numbers
(5-21-24-28-30). “On the first ticket I was reading the numbers from right to left. When I saw they were matching, I went from left to right.” He remembers thinking, “‘How come the numbers I just wrote down match those drawn?’ I was shocked!”

His nephew went to the store to get a printout of the winning numbers. Olson checked the numbers on his ticket to those on the printout several times before going back to the store for confirmation of his $39,857 jackpot win. Olson told the clerk, “I told you I was going to win!”

Olson claimed the prize at Lottery headquarters in Roseville on Feb. 9.

A Northstar Cash jackpot worth $40,360 drawn on Jan. 28, 2009 (sold in Hennepin County) and a jackpot worth $28,000 from the drawing on July 16, 2008 (sold in Stearns County) have not yet been claimed. Northstar Cash players have one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes.

To play Northstar Cash, players select five numbers from 1 to 31. Matching the five numbers drawn wins the jackpot, which starts at $25,000 and grows until it is won. Players also win by matching 2, 3 or 4 of the numbers drawn.

Northstar Cash drawings are conducted daily after the Daily 3® drawing. Tickets must be purchased by 6:10 p.m. on the day of the drawing.